Photography VIKTORIA GOKUN
Considering how cinematic Matt Hill’s music has always been — from proper film pieces (All That We Destroy, Portraits) to nearly a decade of deeply immersive Umberto albums — we can’t think of a better way of putting this week’s Helpless Spectator LP into perspective than the following mix. Weaving its way through several moods and styles over a tightly edited 36 minutes, it gets to the heart of where Hill’s Umberto records are headed: songs that are subtle yet unsettling, like a horror film that rattles your psyche without relying on tired shock tactics.
Have a listen down below, right alongside Hill’s commentary and a complete stream of his Thrill Jockey debut….
I’ve always been a big fan of films, especially the scores. Here’s a mix of some that left a lasting impression on me over the years, including Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd’s amazing score for Mysterious Skin. It’s very dark and beautiful, and has influenced my newer work. A lot of the other songs on this mix have similar vibes.
Fabio Frizzi’s City of the Living Dead score is also a favorite of mine. He was a big influence on my early albums. I opened up for him in Finland years ago and got to meet him, which was very special for me….
City of the Living Dead
1. David Lynch & Alan R. Splet – Eraserhead excerpt
2. Popol Vuh – “Aguirre I” from Aguirre, the Wrath of God
3. Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd – “One True Love” from Mysterious Skin
5. Michael Brook – “Late Night Phone” from Affliction
6. Philippe Sarde – “L ‘Appel Du Verre” from The Tenant
7. Howard Shore – “Mirror Image” from Crash
8. Neil Young – “Guitar Solo, No. 1” from Dead Man
9. Angelo Badalamenti – “Laurens Walking” from Straight Story
10. Jürgen Knieper – “End Title (Bye, Jaimie)” from River’s Edge
11. Fabio Frizzi – “Paura E Liberazione” from City of the Living Dead
12. Peer Raben – “The Tears of the Lady” from Querelle
13. Michael Nyman – “Lady In The Red Hat” from A Zed & Two Noughts
14. Ned Rifle – “End Credits (Simple Men)” from Simple Men
